1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and a copying apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
According to differences of original document type or characteristics required for reproduced images, different capabilities are demanded for image reading apparatuses. Image reading apparatuses are proposed that accommodate these various capabilities in a single apparatus.
Patent Document 1, for example, proposes to arrange a color image reading section and a monochrome image reading section along one side of an original document transport path, and to selectively use the image reading sections. Further, Patent Document 2 proposes to arrange each of two reading sections at both sides of the original document transport path, and to selectively use the reading sections, such as, according to which side of the original document carries an image. Namely, either of the two reading sections is selected according with different properties of the original documents or differences of required image data (such as difference of resolving power).
Patent Document 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H09-37039
Patent Document 2: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-125168
Since the image reading apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which two reading sections are arranged in vicinity along the transport path, the transport section need to become large in size, and is not appropriate for an original transport apparatus which employs an open/close operation for reading document images placed on a glass platen. Particularly, in an image reading apparatus of double sided reading type, in which front/rear side reversing is performed by combinations of a circulating transport path and a switchback transport path, the circulating transport path requires more space due to the structure of Patent Document 1, making such a structure not appropriate for the open/close operation type image reading apparatus.
In the method of Patent Document 2, in cases where two reading sections having different characteristics are selectively used according to properties or purposes of the image, since the first and the second side reading sections respectively serve suitably for specific purposes of the images, a user needs to determine front/rear side of the original document according with the purpose of the image, which is inconvenient for the user.